Lake Forest-Lake Bluff History Museum

Forest Park Beach: Where Lake Meets Forest

Cooler By The Lake Nature By Design

July 12, 1956.

O.C. Simonds ""Plat of Public Park,"" 1896. Image source: Forest Park Project Archives.

1911 Plat of Survey, Forest Park by James Anderson Co. Image Source: Forest Park Project Archives.

c. 1890, from a Farwell family album. Romeo II is the dog.

c. 1880s, from a Farwell family album. Repairing the ""old pier"" on Lake Michigan.

Beach at Lake Forest, c. 1872.

1927. ""Short pier north of original bathhouse.

1928. ""Beach with long pier and shelter at lake end.

Dorothy Gleiser at the beach, 1932.

Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) Girl Reserves on the beach, 1930s.

YWCA group heading for a swim, 1930s.

c. 1950s.

YWCA Grade School Reserves having a campfire at the beach, 1930s.

Boats in storage at Forest Park Beach, c. 1988.

South shelter at Forest Park Beach, c. 1988.

Boys playing on the beach, 1989.

Video by Lake Forest High School student Fiona Carroll, 2019. World Civilizations 2, Lake Forest High School Social Studies Department.

Forest Park Beach was incorporated into the city of Lake Forest in 1861. Now totaling 29.72 acres, it was set aside as green space in the 1857 Plan for Lake Forest by Almerin Hotchkiss.

In 1896, landscape architect O. C. Simonds designed the ring road to accommodate horse-drawn carriages and facilitate public use of the park. His design also featured open spaces and view corridors.

Throughout its history, the beach has been Lake Forest’s most beloved attraction. Its shoreline has had various piers, boat launches and beach structures over the years. Residents have sought to maintain the beach’s beauty and utility for future generations through efforts like the 1987 Shoreline Restoration and the 2009 Forest Park Project.

Lake Forest High School student Fiona Carroll relates some of the story of Forest Park in the video below.